Jay's POV...
"All the saints in heaven, Holy Mary, Lord Jesus Christ, please forgive all my sins and save me from Angelo. Please, Lord, I beg you!"
I knew I was going to be dead meat today.
I slowly opened the gate and peeked through the window to make sure nobody was around. Once I was certain the coast was clear, I carefully opened the door.
And to my absolute happiness, the living room was empty.
THANK YOU, LORD! MY PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED!
"Good evening, Ma'am!" the maid greeted me.
"Good evening! By the way, where is everyone?"
"Ma'am Gemma was looking for you. She said she won't be home for two days because she's visiting Lola. She also asked me to remind you to take care of yourself."
"Oh, okay. Thanks! And please, don't tell Kuya that I came home late."
"Fine, Ma'am."
I gave her a grateful smile before slowly making my way upstairs, moving like a lion stalking its prey.
Or perhaps a thief sneaking into a house.
Honestly, there wasn't much difference between the two when you were trying to avoid getting caught by your own brother.
I had almost reached the stairs when...
"JASPER JEAN MARIANO!"
I froze.
Slowly, very slowly, I turned around.
Oh.
My.
God.
HOROSCOPE.
"Mind telling me why you're home this late?" Aries asked in a low but firm voice.
"None of your business," I muttered.
"JAY JAY! IS THAT HOW YOU TALK TO YOUR ELDER BROTHER?"
OH, NO.
DEATH! DEATH! DEATH!
Someone, please call a priest!
Actually, forget the priest. Call the entire Vatican!
Maybe Keifer and I were never destined to get married. Maybe our love story was meant to remain unfinished. Maybe the universe had decided that I would die before I could even wear a wedding dress.
My death came too early.
I hadn't eaten enough food in my life. I hadn't started my career. I hadn't travelled the world. I hadn't even had the chance to annoy Keifer for the rest of my life!
And now?
Now I was about to become a missing person in my own love story.
REST IN PEACE, JASPER JEAN MARIANO. GONE TOO SOON. SHE JUST WANTED TO LIVE HER LIFE.
I turned around again.
And there he was.
Death himself, standing right in front of me.
"Now tell me the fucking reason you were out!"
I opened my mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
Nothing.
My brain had officially resigned from its position.
"Jay Jay," he began, his voice dangerously calm, "from now on, you are not going out anywhere without my permission. And if you think you can sneak out behind my back, I'll have someone keep an eye on you."
I stared at him in disbelief.
"Kuya…" I whimpered, feeling tears prick my eyes.
"My decision is final."
And with that, he walked away.
JUST LIKE THAT?!
NO DISCUSSION? NO APPEAL? NO COURT HEARING?!
WHAT KIND OF DICTATORSHIP WAS THIS?!
I immediately turned to Aries, my last remaining hope.
"ARIEEEESSS! PLEASE HELP ME!"
He looked at me, completely unfazed.
"Kuya is going out, so that's why you're not getting scolded any further today, Jay. And whatever happens after this is none of my business."
He gave me a mocking smile before walking away.
I stood there, watching my last hope disappear down the hallway.
TRAITOR.
BOTH OF THEM.
I WAS SURROUNDED BY TRAITORS.
First, my own brother threatened to turn my life into a prison sentence. Then Aries abandoned me like I was some unwanted parcel.
Unbelievable.
Absolutely unbelievable.
I marched into my room and threw myself onto the bed.
There was no way I was going to stay home and rot here.
NO WAY.
Angelo could take away my freedom, confiscate my phone, assign me a bodyguard, or even lock every door in this house.
But he was not going to take away my will to live.
Because I was Jasper Jean Mariano.
And I had a life to live, a world to explore, and a certain someone named Keifer to see.
And nobody
.not even my own brother..was going to stop me.